Gun Turn In "buy-back" Programs Do Not Work

Gun Watch ^ | 16 June, 2013 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

I contend that the purpose of the programs is primarily symbolic, to delegitimize gun ownership and armed citizens, to condition the public to the idea of the legitimacy of turning guns over to the government and of the government destruction of guns.

Guns Turned In at Recent Phoenix Gun Turn In Event

In an article from the Times Herald, Carl Rotenberg writes:

Academic studies of gun buy-back programs have concluded they are ineffective at reducing gun violence in the limited number of communities where they are held.

Criminals rarely turn in guns used in crimes, and if they do turn in one gun, they keep other guns, the studies show.

The guns turned in at anonymous gun buy-back programs are either old or generally of poor quality.

But the major problem with gun buy-back programs is that the relatively small number of guns collected by these programs does not materially reduce the large gun stock in the U.S. or even keep up with the annual increase in American gun ownership.

The major problem is not that these programs do nothing to reduce crime. Rather it is the use of official resources to directly attack a fundamental, constitutionally protected right, without using the legitimate process of calling for an amendment to the Constitution. By attacking the Constitution in this way, directly contrary to their oath of office, officials are severely undermining the rule of law.

Dean Weingarten

Link to Gun Watch Article

[marktwain]

It is the underlying assumptions of these programs, the idea that guns in the hands of ordinary citizens is a bad thing, that is the fundamental problem with them.

[SampleMan]

I contend that the purpose of the programs is primarily symbolic, to delegitimize gun ownership and armed citizens, to condition the public to the idea of the legitimacy of turning guns over to the government and of the government destruction of guns.

Of course that the reason for them. They get the local media to carry their water on the issue every time they pull together $500 for one of these things.

I still think gun show organizers are missing out by not advertising every one of their events as gun buy backs. "Have an unwanted gun in your home? Come get top dollar for it."

[Campion]

Notice the name? "Buy back"? As if your guns were really the government's property, only yours as a concession, and now they're buying them ... back.

[Fido969]

What do you mean they don’t work?

They work great for the PDs running them, who get to hand-select valuable guns for their own collections.

[marktwain]

You have all made excellent observations.

[Travis McGee]

It's all part of the libtard anti-freedom brainwashing.

[Jack Hydrazine]

Armed drone.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=jxThXvuP4Vo#!

[VideoPaul]

Whenever I see an old, rusted out, unfirable piece of junk at a gun show for a few dollars I buy it. Then when the local media announces a ‘gun buy back’ with a high enough price being paid I go and unload as many as I can.

I use the money to finance my shooting hobby with range time, ammo and new guns.

I think it’s a great way to force the gun grabbers to pay for my guns and ammo and perpetuate my growing collection.

We’ve had a few here that paid $100 for a rifle and $200 for a handgun. you can walk away with a very tidy profit. I walked away from one and went right to my favorite gunsmith to pick up a .40 S&W I had been eyeing for somet time and told him exactly where I got the stack of crisp new Benjamins. He told me it was the most hilarious concept he’d heard in years and commended me on using the anti-gunners’ money to support shooting sports.

[Iskwoklam]

who would turn in their gun? it only hurts you, really.